Stacey Keach, who played prison warden on Prison Break, dies

  Actor Stacey Kizzi passed away at her home in Magdalenka, Poland on November 10, 2026 at the age of 85.His wife Malgosia announced the news in a statement, saying that her husband fought a long and difficult battle with severe heart disease and heart failure, and finally passed away peacefully.

“It is with deep sadness and a broken heart that I announce the passing of my beloved husband, Stacey Keach.” She said that her husband had faced his illness with courage, determination and strength for a long time, like a real warrior; this spirit and resilience also lasted throughout his life.For her, in addition to being a beloved actor, he was a husband, a partner and the center of the family.

"His passing leaves an immeasurable void, but his extraordinary spirit, unforgettable voice, and the love he gave so generously will always be with us," she wrote in a statement.

Kizzi began her career on the stage, winning accolades for her performances at the New York Shakespeare Festival.He also has a number of film credits, including playing Officer Stedenko in the Cheech and Chong comedy Up in Smoke.It is private detective Mike Hammer who makes him familiar to many TV viewers.

In 1984, CBS's Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer earned him a Golden Globe nomination.The series ran for two seasons before being interrupted when he was sentenced to nine months in prison for drug trafficking.After his release from prison, the character returned in a 1986 television movie, leading to The New Mike Hammer, which aired for one season and ended in 1987.From 1997 to 1998, he played the role of Mike Hammer, Private Eye in the TV series "Private Eye", which also aired for one season.

Among his later screen roles were the title character's alcoholic father on the Fox sitcom Titus and a recurring role as prison warden Henry Pope on Prison Break.In the CBS drama series Blue Bloods, he plays Kevin Kearns, an archbishop-turned-cardinal who often confers with Frank Reagan, played by Tom Selleck.

Keach also has been a long-time narrator on CNBC's true-crime docuseries American Greed, and other television credits include The Blacklist, Man With a Plan and NCIS: New Orleans.